


Absolute Beginners

by taggiecb



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Coming Out, Crushes, Embarrassment, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff, Gay Bar, London, M/M, No Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-29 17:31:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15734130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taggiecb/pseuds/taggiecb
Summary: Louis would like to think that Niall can't surprise him anymore. He never knows what his friend will come up with sometimes. But when he calls Louis in the middle of the night and asks him to come and hit on his friend, Louis can't help but let curiosity get the best of him.





	Absolute Beginners

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lululawrence](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lululawrence/gifts).



> Happy Birthday Sus! Hope you like where this funny story took me. xo

Louis’ eyes are just about closed as he listens to the drone of a highlight reel of a football game when his phone starts to vibrate violently on the coffee table in front of him. He growls at it loudly, and throws his head back dramatically, but given the time of night can’t quite ignore it’s persistence. 

He curses when he sees that it’s Niall on the other end of the line, and at this point does consider ignoring him, but he is this far off his comfy spot, might as well see it through. 

“Hello?” He hopes that Niall can hear the vague annoyance that he’s trying to convey in his tone. Not that Niall would care anyway. 

“Yeah, what are ya doin’?” Niall asks over a loud bass and what sounds like a large group of people. 

“Sleeping,” Louis grumbles, trying to sound sleepy just to make himself more realistic.

“Sleeping?” Niall repeats, “What are ya? Ninety?” Niall snorts at his own joke, getting himself even closer to being hung up on, maybe blocked for a few hours. 

“What do you want, Niall? You called me remember?” Louis sighs loudly. He isn’t sure why he tries to use subtlety on Niall. 

“I need a favour,” Niall says quickly. “I need you to come to The Glory and pick up my friend.” 

Louis pauses for a second trying to wrap his head around that entire sentence. “Why are you at a gay bar? And why does your friend need to be picked up? Is he sick? Call a cab, or an ambulance. No one is puking in my car.” 

“God Lou, how long has it been since you’ve pulled? Pick up, chat up, flirt. I need you to come and pull this guy.” Niall talks as though Louis is the one talking crazy. 

“What the fuck Niall, I’m not leaving my house just to take home some guy who I don’t even know. What is wrong with you?” Louis settles back into his spot. This is clearly not the emergency Louis had briefly envisioned. 

“You don’t have to take him _ home _ .” Niall is clearly annoyed by the lack of communication happening between them. Louis can hear him sigh and clear his throat. “Ok listen. My friend Harry just kind of discovered himself. He came out to me, and I decided...we decided.” Louis instantly knows that Liam is involved. Niall loves to throw Liam under the bus when bad plans inevitably go wrong. Louis is convinced that it’s the main reason Niall keeps him as a friend. “That it would be nice to take him out for the evening. Let him get his feet wet, so to speak.” 

There’s a weird silence that follows. Louis knows that Niall isn’t telling him the whole story. “And?” 

“Well, he’s not doing so well. He clearly could have used some pointers, but Liam insisted...so…” 

“So what does this have to do with me?” Louis is quickly getting more and more over this conversation. 

“He’s gutted, and then courage drinks have caught up to him. I can’t let him leave without someone at least telling him he’s good looking. I trust you Lou. I need you.” 

Fuck. Louis pulls himself forward on the couch again and groans. “You owe me so fucking big time.” 

“Yes! A million times yes!” Niall shouts in his ear. “And ah...Lou?” 

“Oh my God, what now?” Louis is already standing, stretching his limbs that clearly were expecting sleep. 

“Can you put a little effort in? No joggers?” Louis looks down at the joggers and t-shirt that he had every intention of leaving the house in and sighs again. 

“Yeah fine, no joggers.” 

 

Louis texts Niall when he walks in through the door of The Glory to avoid wandering around aimlessly. Niall immediately comes to his side.

“Took ya long enough.” Niall says, taking his elbow and steering him left. 

“Excuse me, you wanted me to put an effort in. This takes time.” He sweeps his hand up and down, then points at his hair that took the longest. It’s swooped back in a carefully constructed quiff that a violent storm couldn’t disturb. 

“Yeah, you’re beautiful,” Niall dismisses him quickly. “But eye on the prize.” 

“I am the prize.” Louis reminds him, causing Niall’s eyes to roll. “Where is poor sucker who befriended you?” 

“He’s at the bar, drowning his sorrows.” Nialls tips his head towards a dark wooden bar that looks a bit out of place in such a modern area, but also fitting.

There are quite a few people hanging around the bar casually, but one stands out a bit. He is sitting on a stool where everything around him seems to be moving and flowing with the music. His head is hung low, causing his silky shirt to dip between his shoulder blades. Louis can see his long legs propped up on the foot rail and a shaded silhouette of his face, but little else. Louis gets an overwhelming urge to turn around and walk out. 

“On a scale of one to ten, how much am I going to have to bullshit here?” he asks Niall, who is distractedly scanning the crowds around him. 

“What?”

“Is he...” Louis doesn’t want to ask out loud if this Harry guy is ugly. It’s not what’s on the outside that counts anyway, but this is only a five minute conversation before he can go home and resume his Friday night schedule. “...aesthetically challenging?” 

Niall punches out a laugh that startles Louis. “Harry? No!” Niall is almost doubled over at this point. “I’m no expert, but he’s quite a handsome man.” 

“Then what’s the problem?” Louis throws his hands up, exasperated. 

“You’ll see,” Niall replies with a grave tone. 

Louis sighs again. He feels tired, but the energy of the club is making him jittery. He’s here now though, might as well get this over with. 

He walks towards the forlorn figure cautiously. There are empty seats on either side of him, and given how crowded the bar area is, Louis thinks that’s quite a feat. Or a bad sign. He picks one and gingerly sits down, lifting a finger at the bartender. The guy behind the bar gives him a small smile, and a once over before he nods and walks away, tending to a few that come before him. Louis looks sideways at the man known as Harry and tries to take a good look at him before Harry notices him staring. 

Louis can see his profile now, as he hasn’t much moved from the position he was in when Louis first spotted him, but he can see his face clearly now, and also see that his head is not only dipped in defeat, but is attached to a straw that he somehow managed to procure and sip his martini with. His jawline is sharp as broken glass, his mouth  wide; his lips are pink along with his cheeks. A strand of hair falls across his forehead and Louis sees a large hand come up and smooth it backwards only for it to fall right back to where it was. When he sips on his drink, a deep crease in his cheek develops, making Louis wonder if it does that when he smiles too. 

For all intents and purposes, this man should be fighting them off. He’s absolutely beautiful from what Louis can tell. It only raises more questions than answers. He looks backwards at Niall to see both him and Liam staring back. When Louis shrugs Niall shoos at him, encouraging him to get on with it. 

When he turns back, he sees two spectacularly clear, albeit a little glassy, green eyes staring back at him. They catch him off guard for a moment. They are the kind of eyes that can throw a person, catch them unawares. They are the kind of eyes that a person could get lost in for a very long time, and Louis can feel himself falling into them. 

“So….” A deep, slow drawl comes from the wide pink lips. 

“Hi,” Louis tries. It’s always a good opener. 

“Hello,” Harry replies, apparently taking in Louis’ appearance as well. “I’m Harry.” 

“Louis.” Honestly, this is not a bad start. Louis is starting to wonder if it’s finally happened and Niall has officially lost his mind. It’s been a long time coming honestly. 

“I’m...um…..” Harry continues to say, tripping over words. Louis waits for him to continue, genuinely curious as to what he has to say. “I’m...a honey nut scooter….” 

Louis pauses, he can’t have just heard that correctly. Either that or one of them is having a stroke, He better check, just in case. “Excuse me?” 

“I’m a marshmallow matey.” Harry replies with a grave tone. “Are you….a marshmallow matey?” 

“I’m not sure I follow.”  Louis looks at him, confused. He’s not sure what the man is trying to say to him. He’s not even sure he’s speaking English. 

You know….” Harry whispers. “A hoot’n’honey?” Louis shakes his head. “A mini spooner?” Louis gives him a blank stare. “...a tootie fruitie?” 

“Hold it right there.” Louis stops him before someone hears Harry. “Are you trying to ask if I’m gay?” 

Harry’s cheeks quickly go from a pleasant shade of pink to a deep shade of red as he takes a large gulp of his drink. He doesn’t actually answer Louis, or even look him in the eye but nods surreptitiously. 

“Are you gay?” Louis asks him, and Harry’s head pops up from the straw again and he nods enthusiastically. 

“I am, yes,” he says, a look of almost relief comes over his face. A part of Louis is telling him to just walk away, leave it at that, tell Niall to take this poor sap home and let him sleep off the hangover that is inevitably going to happen. But part of him can’t walk away from this either. This endearing, gorgeous, horribly inappropriate man.

“You don’t need to ask people if they are interested in the same sex while you’re in a gay bar.” Louis gives his hand a sweep around. It’s kind of funny, but at the same time kind of sad the way Harry is clearly floundering. He’s so far over his head that he can’t even see shore anymore. 

Harry slumps his shoulders again, staring forlornly at his now empty glass. Louis waits for him to say something, but he keeps staring at the glass, fiddling with the straw. This goes on for probably a full minute before Louis gets impatient. He clears his throat and Harry jumps

“You’re still there!” Harry seems genuinely shocked by this. Maybe he’s more drunk than even Louis thought. 

“Where would I go?” Louis can’t help but smiles at him. This would actually be hilarious if this guy’s integrity wasn’t dangling on a thin rope.

“Everyone else that has sat down and tried to talk to me has left.” Harry says, chewing on his straw and not looking at Louis. An actual pang of guilt pulses in Louis chest. He takes it back. This isn’t funny at all. 

“Well, maybe they’re missing out,” Louis replies. Harry smiles at him and Louis is once again held captive by his face. His eyes that sparkle, now gleam, his turned up mouth that produces a deep dimple on one of Harry’s cheeks that Louis just wants to touch. Harry wrinkles his nose like he’s about to sneeze, but he doesn’t and it causes Louis to want to giggle.

“I’m Harry.” Harry puts his hand out, Louis takes it, laughing.

“We’ve already done this part, Harry.” He puts his hand in Harry’s and lets it just kind of sit there. 

“I know, but I’m attempting to make a good impression either way.” Harry says, making no sense whatsoever. 

“You’ve made an impression alright. But might I make a suggestion?” He leans in and he can see Harry’s breathing stutter. It feels good to know that he can have that effect on Harry. “Maybe go home and get a good night’s sleep, and impress me tomorrow?” He didn’t plan on there being a tomorrow until five seconds before he said it. But all he can focus on is getting him out of this place where he will end up either getting picked up or punched in the face depending on what random words come out of his mouth, and Louis doesn’t want either of those thing to happen. It makes Harry frown though. 

“So you’re not trying to pick me up?” Harry’s face looks like a grumpy kitten. Louis wants to stroke his cheek. 

“Sorry love, not tonight I’m not. But maybe if you still want to talk to me tomorrow, Niall will give you my-”

“How do you know Niall?” Harry interrupts him. Shit.

“Yeah, about that…” Louis starts, trailing off in hopes that a black hole will swallow him up before he has to actually confess. This is not how this evening was supposed to go down. “Niall is my friend, and also your friend, don’t forget that part, and he saw that you were...let’s say...struggling a bit….” He looks at Harry to see if he’s following along. By the look on his face he has caught onto what is happening. “So he asked me if I would give you a bit of a morale boost.” 

“Oh God.” Harry puts his head in his hands and turns away from Louis. 

“An hour ago I was dozing off on my couch,” he confesses, as Harry seems to sink deeper in his seat. 

“Can you please….just go?” Harry sounds absolutely gutted.

“Listen Harry, please?” Louis begs. Harry doesn’t respond, but it’s not a no, so Louis continues. “I was just supposed to come and tell you that you’re hot and go on my way. I had no intention of bringing you home or anyone home for that matter. But you are hot, and while I’m not bringing you home because you’ve had way too much to drink, I really wish I could have met you earlier in the night because I would have put all of my best moves on you. You’re gorgeous, and funny, and sweet. I’m not entirely sure what’s going on with the pick up lines but that’s a work in progress, right? And you’re not just hot. You’re very beautiful. Had I seen you out on the street I would have struggled to find some way to get your number.” Louis finally peters out, not really knowing what else to say. It’s all truth, and that is all he can do. 

Harry doesn’t move, doesn’t respond, just sits with his head in his hands, resting his elbows on the bar. Louis looks back and sees Niall and Liam looking on with concern. He sighs. “I'm sorry Harry, I'll go now.” he says to Harry's back and walks towards them. 

“Sorry Niall, cat’s out of the bag. Do me a favour and take him home before he drinks any more? And maybe plead my case when he’s had a good night sleep?” 

Niall shakes his head and looks at Harry, who has yet to move. “You mean when he starts speaking to me again?” 

“No one can resist you, Niall.” Louis gives Niall a little chuff on the chin, but brings him in for a hug. “You’re a good friend, and you were just trying to help. He’ll come around.” 

“You like him though, right?” Niall smiles as Louis pulls away. 

“He’s like no one I’ve ever met.” Louis tries to reconcile the weird feeling of attraction and confusion when he looks at Harry’s back. “I would like to know more.” 

“I’ll do my best.” Niall beams at him and then turns to Liam who has been standing silent the entire time. “Let’s get started, shall we?” he says, pointing to Harry.

“Maybe let me?” Liam pleads, knowing that it will get him home to his bed faster, Louis is sure. Niall concedes with a nod, and they are off, leaving Louis to see himself home. 

  
  


Every time Harry comes back into consciousness under the warm weight of his duvet he does his best to will himself back to sleep. He’s been doing this on and off for what he thinks is hours now. He can see through his thin curtains that it’s full daylight. He takes a sip of his bottle of water from his night stand and pinches his eyes closed again. With any luck he can do this until it’s dark, and he can just avoid this day completely.

“Harry?” Niall says through the door while he gently raps on the frame. “I heard you move, are you awake?” 

Harry considers ignoring him. He considers telling him to get the fuck out. The only issues with that is that Niall is his actual best friend in the entire world, and also he lives in the room across the hall. That doesn’t quell the anger that’s been brewing and erupting since the night before. 

“Leave me alone!” he says to the closed door. It’s meant to be authoritative and demanding but sounds more whiny than anything. 

“Come on H, I said I was sorry,” Niall pleads. Harry can practically hear him pouting. 

“You humiliated me in front of the prettiest man I have ever seen in my life.”  Flashes of the night before pop into his brain like fresh wounds. He buries his head in his pillows, trying to hide from the images. 

“I’m pretty sure you did that all by yourself mate,” Niall replies, very unhelpfully. 

“Well you didn’t help!” Harry snaps at him. 

“Can I come in please? The entire building doesn’t need to hear this conversation.” 

“Fine,” Harry mutters under his breath, half hoping that Niall won’t hear him and leave him be. 

No such luck though, the door opens and Niall comes in, looking concerned and chagrined. “Have I said how bad I feel that you got embarrassed?” he asks as he sits on the bed beside Harry’s legs. 

“Repeatedly,” Harry says, clearly not feeling like it was enough yet. 

“Well it’s the truth. I just wanted to do something nice for you.” Harry can sense that Niall wants to hug him. Niall thinks that every stupid thing he does can be solved with hugging it out, and usually Harry falls for it, Not this time. 

“You drug your friend out of bed in the middle of the night just to witness me be spectacularly drunk and make a complete fool of myself,” Harry corrects him. 

“No!” Niall protests, “That’s not what happened at all! You see Liam—”

“Don’t you dare blame this on Liam,” Harry interrupts him, causing Niall to scowl a bit. He has no idea why poor Liam still hangs out with Niall with all of the things that Niall has thrown Liam under the bus for. 

“Fine, _ I  _ saw that you were not having the best time. And I just thought,  _ Niall, you know this isn’t who Harry is, you know that he isn’t the type of guy to just go pick someone up at a bar. You should find someone that Harry could really connect to, someone who he could take out, and get to know. _ “

“Is there a point to this story?” Harry asks, feigning boredom, but feeling some kind of way knowing that the story concludes with Niall talking about the beautiful man that had ended his very first gay bar experience. 

“Yes of course.” Niall rolls his eyes. “So I thought, who would be Harry’s type? Who would be good enough for my Harry? And then it clicked.”

“Beautiful man that I can never look in the eye again,” Harry finishes for him. 

Niall shakes his head. “Louis, who you can definitely look in the eye again.” 

“God, how? Why would he even want to? I feel like an idiot.” Harry covers his face with his hands. 

“I don’t know what you said to him, but he asked me to give you his number. That is if you ever wanted to speak to  _ him _ again.” Niall smirks like he’s got the entire world figured out. It’s not endearing at all.

“What does he have to be embarrassed about? He was sober and good looking and didn’t say anything about marshmallows.” A slight wave of nausea comes over him at the thought. 

“He feels bad that he wasn’t honest with you. We both are.” Niall finally comes in for the hug that Harry knows he’s been itching to give. Harry reciprocates, and finally sits up, a small step to facing the world again. “And Louis isn’t the cool cucumber that you have him made out to be from last night. He’s shy and quiet. He rarely goes out, and between you and me, he’s a bit lonely. I just wanted…” 

“You were just trying to help. I get it,” Harry says with a sigh. 

Niall and his good intentions are going to be the end of him. He tries to picture the man from the night before in the new light that Niall had cast on him. The soft laughter and amusement that danced in his eyes feel a little less condescending and a little more charming. His beauty remains the same though. From his sparkling blue eyes to his gravelly, lilting voice, Louis was stunning. 

He looks at Niall who is watching him patiently. He sighs again, relenting. “So he wants me to have his number?” 

Niall’s eyes brighten as he nods vigorously. “That’s what he said.”

“I’ll think about it. After I get another nap,” Harry says, already composing a text in his head that doesn’t make him sound like a complete lunatic.

Niall jumps off the bed and heads out the door. “Yes, ok, see you when you wake up!” he sings on his way out, closing the door behind him. 

 

It’s a lazy Sunday, two whole days after the bar fiasco, when Harry works up the nerve to text Louis. He is encouraged by Niall asking him if he’s texted yet approximately every ten minutes since he asked for the number. He sighs and presses send, ignoring the urge to throw his phone out the window immediately afterward.

_ Hello _

_ this is Harry Styles _

_ From the bar _

 

It sounded much more eloquent in his head than it looks on his screen. He contemplates adding more but a reply pops back before he has a chance. 

 

**_Hi Harry from the bar_ **

**_I’m so glad you texted_ **

**_I want to apologise for Friday night_ **

 

_ Please don’t _

_ Niall has done enough of that for the both of you _

_ I was actually wondering if you would be interested in meeting up _

 

Harry squeezes his eyes shut, nerves and embarrassment flooding his brain. He holds his breath until another notification pops up. A smile breaks across his face when he sees the response.

 

**_I thought you’d never ask_ **

**_How about my place?_ **

**_8pm?_ **

 

_ See you there xx _

Harry smiles, pleased with himself despite a rage of nerves coursing through his body. It can’t be any worse than the bar though, he hopes.

 

Harry bounces on the balls of his feet as he waits for Louis to answer the door. He stares down at the bouquet of flowers that he decided to buy last minute. They’re a bright array of colours and shapes that reminded Harry of the brief encounter he had with Louis a few days ago. But on second thought maybe Louis wouldn’t appreciate the flowers. He knows that he, himself likes flowers, but Harry is pretty sure that he’s a bit different. He looks for a place that he might be able to dump them before Louis opens the door.

He’s still looking around when Louis opens the door. He straightens up, trying to look like he knows what he’s doing.

“Did you lose something?” Louis smiles at him. It causes his breath to hitch a bit, having that energy directed straight at him. 

“My sanity possibly?” Harry replies. He didn’t mean for it to be funny, but Louis laughs heartily anyway, causing Harry to smile as well, and chuckle a bit himself. “I brought you some flowers but if you don’t like them—”

“I love flowers, Harry.” Louis’ eyes brighten as he takes in the bouquet in Harry’s hands. “They’re lovely, thank you. You didn’t have to.” Louis moves back towards his door, and invites Harry in. 

Harry steps in cautiously, looking around at the cozy interior of Louis’ flat. He stops short when Louis turns around and puts his hands out. Harry short circuits for a moment until he realises that Louis wants the flowers. “I wanted to,” he says, as he passes them over. “I was hoping to make a better impression this time.” 

Louis smiles as he continues to look at the flowers. “Me too, honestly. I really didn’t mean to cause you any hardship.” He finds a vase under his sink, and sets the flowers lovingly on the small kitchen table. They look like they were made for the space. 

“You didn’t. Just a bit of embarrassment, and I was easily doing that to myself.” Harry hovers in the doorway as Louis busies himself at the hob. He holds up a tea bag, and Harry nods.

When the tea is ready Louis leads them to the living room where a well loved couch and chair sit facing a brand new looking television. Louis sits on the couch, and Harry goes to take the chair but hesitates. Louis looks at him expectantly as Harry takes the bold step towards the couch and sits. Louis looks pleased with his decision, so he settles in and takes a sip of tea. 

“I think you were very brave,” Louis says to him after a few silent moments. “Niall told me that you haven’t been out for long, and to just put yourself out there must have been scary.” 

Harry flushes from the compliment. He hasn’t really had the chance to talk to someone about all of the turmoil going on in his brain over the last few weeks, or months. He doesn’t even know where to start. 

“I don’t feel brave. I feel terrified,” he admits, feeling the butterflies take flight in his stomach. When he looks at Louis though, there is only understanding. 

“Bravery is being scared but doing it anyway,” Louis says with a solemn face before breaking out in a giggle. “Or that’s what the sign in my mother’s office says.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but I don’t think I’ll be trying the club scene again anytime soon. I am both too old, and too new for that.” 

Louis laughs. “Yeah, I’m just too old,” he agrees. “It’s not my scene, but kudos to anyone who can keep up with it. I’m more of a quiet dinner and a movie kind of guy.” 

Harry likes the sound of that. “I think I might be too. But it’s hard to find someone to share dinner with if you don’t know how, or what to say to someone to find out if they’re…” Harry still has trouble saying it out loud. He feels ashamed for not being proud.

“Gay?” Louis supplies the word. It comes from his mouth so easily and casually that Harry almost feels jealous. “Don’t worry about it Harry, it took a long time before I could just say it too. It will come.” 

“Really?” Harry lets out a breath, feeling comforted once again by this practical stranger. 

“Yeah, of course.” Louis pauses, staring at Harry a moment before he opens his mouth again. “Can I ask you something?”

“Yes, anything. I feel like I’m in therapy right now.” Harry jokes. 

Louis cringes a bit.“Sorry, bad habit.” Louis apologises.

“Are you a therapist?” Harry asks, that would makes sense, but Louis shakes his head. 

“No, just a school counselor, but sometimes it feels like I should get some formal education with some of the things my kids come to me with.”

“I think you’re doing great.” Harry pats Louis’ knee and immediately feels Louis still under his touch. He pulls away quickly wondering if he crossed a line, but sees Louis’ private smile and the flush of his cheeks, so he puts his hand back, gently and carefully, giving Louis lots of time to object. 

“I was just going to ask,” Louis says, a little breathier than before, “If you just found out...what your sexuality is, or have you just decided to be public.” Louis moves a little closer to Harry, barely enough to notice.

“I didn’t realise until recently, but of course looking back it should have been obvious. I thought maybe I was just choosy, or too dedicated to my career, or before that, education. I never let myself believe that it was something else, something more.” Harry’s breath catches. The emotional wounds that he had caused himself are still fresh. “I had one big a-ha moment a few months back. I won’t go into detail. It was embarrassing for me and the man who had been on the receiving end of my self-denial. But since then I’ve really been trying to find out who I really am.” 

“Wow, that’s a lot to deal with in such a short amount of time,” Louis says. Emotion fills his face as he puts his hand over Harry’s. The contact is both comforting and electric. He fights the urge to both pull away and push forward. “So you’ve never done anything like this before.” 

“No,” Harry says, practically whispering. 

“You don’t have to do anything—” 

“I want to,” Harry rushes. “I mean, I don’t know what you mean by anything, but I like this. What we’re doing now.” Harry looks down at their hands and then up to Louis’ smiling face.

“Good, because I want to as well,” Louis replies, squeezing Harry’s hand. “I really like you.” 

“Are you sure? You don’t know anything important about me. Like my football team, what Harry Potter house I’m sorted into, my astrological sign.” Harry tries to look serious, but he can’t help the teeny tiny smirk on his face 

Louis nods, also faking a solemn expression. “You’re right,” he says, but shrugs. “Still want to kiss you though.” 

Harry almost swallows his tongue, but saves himself by not actually making any choking noises. “Really?” His voice cracks a bit.

“Yeah, you’re well fit.” Louis bites his lip. 

Harry has never truly wanted to kiss anyone in his life. But in this moment he knows what the movies are doing when someone jumps into someone else’s arms. 

He nods dumbly. “I would also...like that.” 

“Yeah?” Louis asks. Harry can see why Louis isn’t sure. Harry is sure he looks like he’s about to vomit. Harry nods again. 

Louis leans in, gently touching Harry’s cheek, caressing his jawbone before wrapping his fingers around the back of his neck and pulling Harry closer to him. Harry goes happily into the touch until his lips meet Louis’. Louis is soft, and warm, and there is a trace of moisture on his lips. Harry wants to live in the feeling. That is until Louis’ lips start to move and then Harry decides he wants to live in this feeling instead. Harry’s brain catches up and he starts kissing Louis back. It awards him with a pleasant moan that comes from the back of Louis’ throat. He gets closer and mimics Louis’ touch by cupping his cheek with his hand. He can’t help but move it down to Louis’ shoulder, then chest. He can feel Louis’ heart beating under his hand. He moves his hand down, and around Louis’ back, wanting him closer. 

Louis gasps and pulls away. It makes Harry immediately think he’s doing something wrong. There’s an apology on his lips when Louis groans loudly. “Harry, you are too hot for this.” 

“I don’t understand,” Harry replies, already missing Louis’ touch.

“I don’t want to take this too far. We’ve hardly met,” Louis explains. 

Harry’s brain catches up with him. “Oh.” 

“Sorry.” Louis sits upright, bringing his hand up to caress Harry’s cheek again. 

“That’s alright. I liked it,” he confesses. 

“Maybe another time, alright?” Louis half smiles. 

“Maybe after a date?” 

“That sounds nice.” Louis reaches out and grabs both cups of their cooling tea, shoving Harry’s into his hand determinately. “Now,” he says before taking a sip of his drink, “what Harry Potter house are you?” 

Harry laughs heartily and takes a drink himself. “Gryffindor.” 

“Good start.” Louis smirks.

The conversation flows easily from there, about everything from their favourite movies, to careers, to family. It’s nearly one in the morning when Harry can manage to pull himself away long enough to leave. 

“Thank you for this, Louis,” he says, not really knowing how to convey how important this night will always be to him. 

“Thank you, Harry,” Louis replies. 

Harry is about to ask for what, but he doesn’t. Maybe Louis has his own battles. Maybe Harry can accept that he has done something for someone else tonight as well. He nods and leans in to kiss Louis once again. Louis comes to him readily, tilting his head just so to fit their lips together perfectly. It’s just as wonderful as the first time, and Harry hopes he can do it many more times. By the look on Louis’ face when he pulls away, Harry thinks Louis feels the same.


End file.
